ESC & iPSC News Volume 14.36 | Sep 18 2019

TOP STORY

Controlled Modeling of Human Epiblast and Amnion Development Using Stem Cells

Researchers report that human PSCs in a microfluidic device recapitulated, in a highly controllable and scalable fashion, landmarks of the development of the epiblast and amniotic ectoderm parts of the conceptus, including lumenogenesis of the epiblast and the resultant pro-amniotic cavity, formation of a bipolar embryonic sac, and specification of primordial germ cells and primitive streak cells. [Nature] Abstract | Press Release

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Dynamic Reversal of Random X-Chromosome Inactivation during iPSC Reprogramming

Scientists showed that X-Chromosome inactivation reactivation was hierarchical, with subsets of genes reactivating early, late, and very late during reprogramming. Early genes were activated before the onset of late pluripotency genes activation. [Genome Res] Abstract | Full Article | Press Release

Quantitative Multiplexed ChIP Reveals Global Alterations that Shape Promoter Bivalency in Ground State Embryonic Stem Cells

Investigators showed that DNA hypomethylation, as observed in 2i, was a contributor to genome-wide gain of H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), while active demethylation by JMJD3/UTX counteracted further accumulation of H3K27me3. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Murine Perinatal Beta Cell Proliferation and the Differentiation of Human Stem Cell Derived Insulin Expressing Cells Require NEUROD1

Inactivation of NEUROD1 in human ESCs severely impaired their differentiation from pancreatic progenitors into insulin expressing cells; however survival or proliferation was not affected at the time points analyzed. [Diabetes] Abstract

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Macrophages Present Antigen to Proinsulin-Specific T Cell Receptors from Donor-Matched Islet-Infiltrating T Cells in Type 1 Diabetes

iPSC lines derived from a donor were differentiated into CD14⁺ macrophages and tested for their capacity to present antigen to T cell receptors derived from islet-infiltrating CD4⁺ T cells from the same donor. [Diabetologia] Full Article

Using Human Pompe Disease-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Cells to Identify Compounds with Therapeutic Potential

Using Pompe disease (Pom)-iPSC-derived neurons as an in vitro drug-testing model, the authors identified three compounds, ebselen, wortmannin and PX-866, with therapeutic potential to alleviate Pom-associated pathological phenotypes in neurons derived from Pom-iPSCs. [Hum Mol Genet] Abstract

Murine iPSC-Derived Microglia and Macrophage Cell Culture Models Recapitulate Distinct Phenotypical and Functional Properties of Classical and Alternative Neuro-Immune Polarisation

Researchers showed that obtained murine iPSC-microglia and iPSC-macrophages were distinct cell populations, even though iPSC-macrophages could upregulate CX₃CR1 expression when cultured within a neural environment. [Brain Behav Immun] Full Article

A Chemically Defined Feeder-Free System for the Establishment and Maintenance of the Human Naive Pluripotent State

The expression profile in genic and repetitive elements of feeder-independent naive embryonic cells resembled the 8-cell-to-morula stage in vivo, and only differed from feeder-dependent naive cells in genes involved in cell-cell/cell-matrix interactions. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

PSEN1ΔE9, APPswe, and APOE4 Confer Disparate Phenotypes in Human iPSC-Derived Microglia

Investigators presented a physiologically relevant high-yield protocol for producing human microglia-like cells from induced pluripotent stem cells. Differentiation was directed with small molecules through primitive erythromyeloid progenitors to re-create microglial ontogeny from yolk sac. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

A Novel Self-Organizing Embryonic Stem Cell System Reveals Signaling Logic Underlying the Patterning of Human Ectoderm

Scientists developed an in vitro model of human ectodermal patterning, in which hESCs self-organized to form robust and quantitatively reproducible patterns corresponding to the complete medial-lateral axis of the embryonic ectoderm. [Development] Abstract

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Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Blood Products: State of the Art and Future Directions

The authors discuss state of the art approaches to produce erythroid, megakaryoid and myeloid cells from iPSCs and the biological and technical hurdles that need to be overcome prior to therapeutic application. [FEBS Lett] Abstract | Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the ESC & iPSC research field.

BioCardia Announces Positive DSMB Recommendation to Continue Phase III Pivotal CardiAMP Heart Failure Study as Planned

BioCardia announced that the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has completed its prespecified data review for the Phase III pivotal CardiAMP Heart Failure Trial, which included safety follow-up results on 35 patients and all additional data available on the 50 patients randomized in the trial as of August 31, 2019. [BioCardia, Inc.] Press Release

BioRestorative Therapies Announces New Initiative to Target Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. announced that it has expanded its “off-the-shelf” brown adipose derived stem cell therapeutic pipeline to target polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is the most common reproductive endocrine disease, and can often lead to infertility, with up to five million patients in the United States. [BioRestorative Therapies, Inc.] Press Release

Senate Bill Would Give NIH $3 Billion in 2020, or 7.7% Boost

A Senate spending panel today released a draft 2020 spending bill containing a hefty $3 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that would bring the agency’s total budget to $42.1 billion. That 7.7% boost is $1 billion more than a House of Representatives committee approved in its version of the bill in April, and would amount to a 40% increase in NIH’s budget over the past 5 years. [ScienceMagazine] Editorial

New Deals Could Help Scientific Societies Survive Open Access

A project that included funders backing Plan S, the European-led effort to speed the transition to open access, released a set of contract templates and tips meant to help small, independent publishers reach deals with libraries that would eventually eliminate subscriptions while protecting revenue. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS) Congress
May 16-19, 2020
Marseille, France

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Research Associate – Human IPSC Culture (Bayer)

Scientific Communications Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Group Leader – Stem Cell Science (University of Cambridge)

Faculty Position – Stem Cell Biology (Children’s Research Institute at UT Southwestern)

Research Fellow – Vascular Stem Cell Biology (Queen’s University Belfast)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Cell Cycles in Stem Cells (University of California, Santa Cruz)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell and Bioinformatics (Indiana University School of Medicine)

Investigator – Stem Cells (GlaxoSmithKline)

Assistant Specialist – Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (University of California, Davis)

Biologist – Stem Cell Engineering (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Postdoctoral Fellow Positions – Cancer Research (Nationwide Children’s Hospital)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Striated Muscle Regeneration (Duke University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Genetics and Epigenomics of iPSC Biology (Stanford University)

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